Over 100 national security professionals, from Democratic and Republican administrations, and
16 state attorneys general are urging the President to use the authorities vested in the DPA. “If the ultimate objective is to save American lives, there is no alternative to utilizing the DPA immediately and to the fullest extent,” wrote
the national security professionals.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases have exceeded 1.4-Million across the world and 380,000 in the United States. Unfortunately, the virus is continuing to spread rapidly through our communities and is projected to soon overwhelm our health care system.
Health care providers are being forced to reuse the personal protective equipment (PPE) intended to prevent the spread of disease, ventilator supplies are a fraction of what experts are pleading for, and testing components are in such short supply that only
critically ill individuals can receive the COVID-19 test. The American people and our heroic frontline health care providers are desperate for the resources they need to prevent, identify, and treat COVID-19 cases in order to minimize loss of life.

The 1950 Defense Production Act (DPA) provides the President with a broad set of authorities to direct domestic manufacturing in the event of a national emergency such as we are currently faced with. These authorities are intended to bring the United States
immense manufacturing capabilities to bear against an enemy that requires a whole-of-country response in order to prevent widespread devastation. As our nation confronts the spectre of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are now faced with a dire situation that requires
such authorities to be utilized in order to protect the health and safety of all Americans.

That is why we are introducing the Frontline Health Care Workers Assistance Act, which will direct the procurement of urgently needed resources our medical professionals are requesting to combat COVID-19. The bill is a companion to Senator
Baldwin’s effort (S.3570), and directs the following actions:

Directs FEMA, the Defense Logistics Agency, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services to coordinate and submit a report within 7 days detailing critical gaps in equipment needed to prevent, identify, and mitigate COVID-19;

Identification of industry sectors and manufactures most ready to fulfill purchase orders;

Identification of government and privately-owned stockpiles that could be repaired or refurbished;

Directs the immediate purchase of 300 million N95 masks at the highest priority under DPA;

Directs additional purchase orders for equipment identified by the report within seven days after report receiptat the highest priority under DPA to address future needs; and

Waives DPA limitations pertaining to purchase orders to ensure an uninterrupted supply of equipment to health care workers and to replenish national stockpiles.

We need leadership and urgent action to stave off disaster. Our frontline health care providers are desperate for the resources they need to fight this pandemic and it is time to leverage our immense national manufacturing capability to get the job done.
We request your urgent consideration of this bipartisan bill to save lives and empower those on the frontlines of this fight.